1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to food trays and more particularly, to food, beverage and utility trays typically for holding a food plate, utensils and at least one beverage container, as well as other items such as art supplies, in one hand. One of the problems which exists at parties and other social gatherings where food is served in buffet style is that of balancing a plate and beverage container while standing, drinking and eating. This problem is intensified under circumstances where the plates are relatively small and are therefore not designed for accommodating a drink holder such as a glass or cup, in addition to food. This circumstance places the user in a dilemma as to how to eat the food and drink the beverage, while at the same time balancing the plate and cup in one hand or on a usually undersized plate.
The food, beverage and utility tray of this invention solves the problem of balancing the plate or cup or glass while standing, eating and drinking. The tray also serves as a one-handed pallet for art supplies and the like. The food, beverage and utility tray is characterized by a plate section designed to accommodate plates and saucers, as well as salad and dessert plates of various size, construction and shape. In one embodiment, the plate section has a circular inner plate section of sufficient size to accommodate an average size dinner plate or paper plate and an indentation within the perimeter of the inner plate section for accommodating a smaller plate such as a saucer, salad plate and dessert plate. The plate section is bordered by a raised lip to prevent inadvertent sliding of the plate or saucer from the inner plate section or the recessed area, and an intermediate section joins the plate section and includes a typically serrated hand grip which can double as a utensil receptacle and a napkin holder. An arm rest may also extend downwardly from the plate section to rest on the forearm of the user as the user grasps the hand grip in one hand, leaving the other hand free for eating and drinking.
In other embodiments, the food, beverage and utility tray may he characterized by a pair of slotted or unslotted beverage container (cup) holders and typically two to four, substantially flat or slightly curved and inwardly-extending legs or supports extending from the lip of the plate section, or two to four frusto-conical legs or supports projecting from the plate section itself the legs or supports of which are typically equal in length to the length of the hand grip and the cup holder, for stabilizing the tray on a flat surface. Additionally, the lip projecting around the plate section, as well as around the intermediate section and the hand grip and cup holder or holders of the trays are tapered, such that multiple trays can be stacked in a nested configuration.
In the dual beverage container or cup holder embodiment of the invention, the cup holder is typically located in a concave expanse of one side of the intermediate section, and may be slotted to accommodate a second cup, glass or beverage container, including a wine glass, goblet or other stem, in a single tray.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many food trays have been designed over the years to hold both a food plate and a beverage container, in an effort to free one hand of the user for eating and drinking. Many of these designs facilitate holding the food tray in one hand, but are awkward and difficult to hold and manage without spilling the food or beverage. Furthermore, many of the designs cannot be nested or stacked for efficient storage. Among the designs for various food and utility trays are those detailed in the following patents: Design Pat. No. 256,201, dated Aug. 5, 1980, to Edward Ventura, entitled "Chair and Arm Tray"; Design Pat. No. 291,957, issued Sept. 22, 1987, to Kenneth D. Stevens, entitled "Combined Canape Tray and Glass Holder"; Design Pat. No. 297,799, issued Sept. 27, 1988, to Linda S. Hammer, entitled "Combination Drinking Cup and Snack Receptacle"; Design Pat. No. 317,102, dated May 28, 1991, to I. M. Clark, et al, entitled "Food Carrying Tray"; Design Pat. No. 326,588, dated Jun. 2, 1992, to Irving S. Meisel, entitled "Serving Tray"; Design Pat. No. 331,860, dated Dec. 22, 1992, to John Stanfield, entitled "Combined Plate and Beverage Holder"; Design Pat. No. 338,374, issued Aug. 17, 1993, to L. N. Jacobson, entitled "Food and Beverage Tray"; Design Pat. No. 351,085, dated Oct. 4, 1994, to George Schmidt, entitled "Stacking Plastic Buffet Wear"; Design Pat. No. 352,205, dated Nov. 8, 1994, to S. W. Etharanyan, entitled "Food Supporting Tray"; Design Pat. No. 354,201, dated Jan. 10, 1995, to Vandegraf, Jr., entitled "Party Plate"; Design Pat. No. 356,471, dated Mar. 21, 1995, to R. A. Corsi, entitled "Compartmented Food Tray For A Ball Stadium"; U.S. Pat. No. 3,498,470, dated Mar. 3, 1970, to D. J. Thomas, entitled "Serving Tray With Integral Cup Holder"; U.S. Pat. No. 3,504,882, dated Apr. 7, 1970, to Pete Corvetti, entitled "Food and Drink Serving Tray"; U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,274, dated Mar. 22, 1988, to J. A. Bouton, entitled "Portable Tray Table"; U.S. Pat. No. 4,744,597, dated May 17, 1988, to Charles E. Bauman, et al, entitled "Food and Beverage Tray"; U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,742, dated Feb. 5, 1991, to Earl A. Powell, entitled "Tray Apparatus"; U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,528, dated Nov. 9, 1993, to Michael A. Pace, et al, entitled "Combination Food, Drink, Utensil and Napkin Tray"; U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,787, dated Aug. 9, 1994, to John A. Finchum, et al, entitled "Food and Beverage Tray"; U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,070, dated Sept. 13, 1994, to D. S. McSpadden, entitled "Portable Food Tray With Cup Holder"; U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,459, dated Jun. 6, 1995, to M. Mazzotti, entitled "Multicompartment Tray".
It is an object of this invention to provide a utility tray for carrying a food plate and beverage, which tray is easy to hold and manipulate with one hand while supported on the forearm, when eating and drinking with the other hand.
Another object of this invention is to provide a tray which can be held in one hand with a handle or grip which is distinct from and more comfortable to hold than the cup holder element of the tray.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a food, beverage and utility tray which is characterized by lightness of weight, nesting capability for easy storage and is easily supportable in one hand to facilitate eating and drinking from plates and glasses, including stems, and cups fitted into recessed areas and compartments provided in the tray or to utilize as a pallet while painting.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a food, beverage and utility tray which is characterized by a plate section fitted with two or more legs or supports and an upward-standing border or lip, and is configured to accommodate plates of various type and size; an intermediate section extending from the plate section and provided with at least one, typically cone-shaped, slotted glass or cup holder; and a hollow, cone-shaped, preferably serrated and hollow hand grip, which hand grip can also serve as a napkin and utensil repository.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved, kidney-shaped food, beverage and utility tray which can be typically constructed of a vacuum moldable or injection-moldable material such as a suitable plastic and is designed with a tapered plate section having downwardly-extending legs, a curved intermediate section, one or more, typically frusto-conical glass or cup holders which may be slotted to accommodate stems and further includes a frusto-conical hand grip, to facilitate nesting and stacking of multiple trays in an optimum storage configuration.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved food, beverage and utility tray which is characterized by a plate section having a raised, tapered lip or rim extending around the periphery thereof and having nesting "standoffs"; or stops, as well as a central recessed area for receiving small plates such as salad plates and dessert plates. Further included is a downwardly-extending arm rest for resting the tray on the forearm of a user when the user grasps a hand grip extending from an intermediate section lying adjacent to the plate section. One or two glass or cup holders with finger access recesses and typically having slots to accommodate stems, are provided in the intermediate section, along with tray stiffeners, for receiving one or more beverage containers, as desired.